The Park Zone "Get Real" Warbird Challenge!!!!!!!

THE PARK ZONE "GET REAL" WARBIRD CHALLENGE!!!!!!!

Open only to Park Zone P-51, FW-190, Spitfire and T-28 owners!!

Here is your chance to win something awesome with your modeling talents!! Horizon Hobby has agreed to donate some very cool prizes to this fun and educational contest. This is your chance to win one of FOUR great prizes!!

1st Place: Complete Corsair with additional DX7 Tx!!

2nd Place: PNP Corsair with 2 lipos!!

3rd Place: Spektrum 6100 Rx & Park Zone T-Shirt (L)!!!!

4th Place (viewer's choice): An autographed photo and copy of "Bluenoser Tales" book, by Robert "Punchy" Powell of the 352nd FG!!!!! A REAL living Legend!!!http://www.352ndfightergroup.com/

Horizon Hobby is in no way responsible or connected to this contest other than offering the prizes. DO NOT contact Horizon Hobby with questions on the rules and judging. All questions shall be inquired to me.

I recently detailed up two PZ P-51s and had so much fun doing research, and trying to make my plane look as real as possible, that I thought it would be fun to pass "the Challenge" to willing participants. (NO, I am not competing!! I'm the judge).

The OFFICIAL RULES!!

Open only to Park Zone P-51, FW-190, Spitfire and T-28 owners!!

You have to pick a paint scheme of an actual P-51D, FW-190, Spitfire, or T-28 (Veitnam era), that was IN THE WAR AND SAW COMBAT. No fictitious paint schemes, as it must be accompanied by a picture of the REAL plane you made your's after, (and not after a ficticious restored warbird either, i.e. "Excalibur", "Crazy Horse").

Your entry, (POST IT HERE IN THIS THREAD, and say "This is my entry" when you do!!) must include:
1. Pictures of your plane showing all the detail.
2. Picture of your plane FLYING, (a video or link to your video is permitted).
3. Picture of the REAL plane you made your's to look like, along with info on who flew it and what group, squadron, etc. that it belonged to.
4. Your contact information. If you win, I'm betting you'll want the prize to get to you, so address and e-mail is MOST important!!

Your plane:

1.Has to be the stock Park Zone warbird airframe. Different electronics are fine. Brushless is permitted as well. I'm not concerned with landing gear as I'll be judging it's "flying form", since most of these planes do not come with landing gear. But you can make the gear look real if you would like.

2. Has to be an accurate paint scheme of a warbird that actually served in WWII, Korea or Veitnam and saw combat. It can be from any
group in any theater such as:
* 1 European Theater of Operations
* 2 Mediterranean Theater of Operations
* 3 Pacific Theater of Operations
* 4 China Burma India Theater

3. Detail is the key. Drop tanks, bombs, rockets, detailed cockpit, weathering..... make it look like it just returned from a mission, or is headed out on one. ***SEE "Helpful Suggestions" Below!!***

4. (MOST important) IT MUST FLY!!!! Must also be accompanied by photo, (or video) of your PZ plane flying after you've finished it. All entries, (pics and videos or links to videos) can be e-mailed to me via RC Groups or RC Universe.

Helpful suggestions: make this thing look REAL! Like it just came back from a mission, weathering, paint flaking off, oil streaks, etc. But keep in mind: It needs to be fairly stock too. So props and landing gear aren't as important as making it look like one that actually existed. Getting detailed with the cockpit and all is fine, but I'm mainly judging the paint scheme and markings.

Contact ME if you need help researching your choice of P-51, (Mustangs are my specialty, but that does not mean one will win just because of it!). I'm here to help, and have an abundance of resources to find what you're looking for. I WILL NOT do any making of parts or decals to go on your plane. This has to be YOUR work of art!!

Contest starts July 7th 2008. Deadline for entries to be received is 11:59pm August 7th 2008 Eastern Standard Time. Winners will be announced and contacted August 9th 2008.

UPDATE TO HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS:

Someone else asked this question again, so let me set it straight.

This contest is about "accurate PAINT schemes" that represent an ACTUAL warbird that saw combat. If you enter a 190 it should look like a 190 that served in combat. Same with the T-28, P-51, and Spitfire.

Making special flaps, landing gear, pilots, tail hooks, etc. is fine but that's not what we're concerned with here. It's the paint scheme first then all the details. You can have lights, bombs, drop tanks, and some on, but if the paint scheme is not accurate, you hurt your chances of winning. The little details help and can make a difference, but here's what really matters:

Example 1. You decide to make the P-51 "Big Beautiful Doll". You put realistic landing gear with retracts, functioning drop tanks (you can "pickle"), sliding canopy, etc.
The squadron code markings on the LEFT side of the plane read WZ I, on the RIGHT side it's I WZ on the REAL one. I've seen toy versions that put WZ I on both sides. That would not win in this contest. On WWII P-51s in Europe, the double letter portion always goes in front of the star & bar toward the nose. The single letter portion goes aft of the star & bar near the tail.
So for instance, you have an impressive looking model, but you reversed those letters, (like the toy makers always do) you might not win.

Example 2. Same plane above. You make the checkers on the nose too big or too small to where it doesn't match the real one, you hurt your chances of winning. If I count, say 14 checker squares across, on the real one, and your's has only 13, or you go over with 15, this will hurt your chances of winning. If you have 14 you're doing it RIGHT, and stand to win.

Example 3. You're going to use the Spitfire. The one you are replicating is also Camouflage. But looking at the REAL one, the country insignia lays half in the brown and half in the O.D. green. On your model the country insignia is on a total brown surface. That might not win.

Example 4. With the pictures below. Notice how the name "Cripes A' Mighty" is in the blue and the bare metal right at the letter H in Mighty. Notice how the " ' " after the A is right under the 3rd exhaust stack. Now notice the model is the same way. THAT could be a winner!!

A high level of accuracy and attention to detail on the paint scheme will decide the winner.

Hopefully this clears up any confusion, hopefully it didn't just create more.
This is the stuff I'm looking for.

Here is your chance to win something awesome with your modeling talents!! Horizon Hobby has agreed to donate some very cool prizes to this fun and educational contest. This is your chance to win one of three great prizes!!

Horizon Hobby is in no way responsible or connected to this contest other than offering the prizes. DO NOT contact Horizon Hobby with questions on the rules and judging. All questions shall be inquired to me.

I recently detailed up two PZ P-51s and had so much fun doing research, and trying to make my plane look as real as possible, that I thought it would be fun to pass "the Challenge" to willing participants. (NO, I am not competing!! I'm the judge).

The OFFICIAL RULES!!

Open only to Park Zone P-51, FW-190, Spitfire and T-28 owners!!

You have to pick a paint scheme of an actual P-51D, FW-190, Spitfire, or T-28 (Veitnam era), that was IN THE WAR AND SAW COMBAT. No fictitious paint schemes, as it must be accompanied by a picture of the REAL plane you made your's after, (and not after a ficticious restored warbird either, i.e. "Excalibur", "Crazy Horse").

Your entry, (via e-mail) must include:
1. Pictures of your plane showing all the detail.
2. Picture of your plane FLYING, (a video or link to your video is permitted).
3. Picture of the REAL plane you made your's to look like, along with info on who flew it and what group, squadron, etc. that it belonged to.
4. Your contact information. If you win, I'm betting you'll want the prize to get to you, so address and e-mail is MOST important!!

Your plane:

1.Has to be the stock Park Zone warbird airframe. Different electronics are fine. Brushless is permitted as well. I'm not concerned with landing gear as I'll be judging it's "flying form", since most of these planes do not come with landing gear. But you can make the gear look real if you would like.

2. Has to be an accurate paint scheme of a warbird that actually served in WWII, Korea or Veitnam and saw combat. It can be from any
group in any theater such as:
* 1 European Theater of Operations
* 2 Mediterranean Theater of Operations
* 3 Pacific Theater of Operations
* 4 China Burma India Theater

3. Detail is the key. Drop tanks, bombs, rockets, detailed cockpit, weathering..... make it look like it just returned from a mission, or is headed out on one.

4. (MOST important) IT MUST FLY!!!! Must also be accompanied by photo, (or video) of your PZ plane flying after you've finished it. All entries, (pics and videos or links to videos) can be e-mailed to me via RC Groups or RC Universe.

Helpful suggestions: make this thing look REAL! Like it just came back from a mission, weathering, paint flaking off, oil streaks, etc.

Contact ME if you need help researching your choice of P-51, (Mustangs are my specialty, but that does not mean one will win just because of it!). I'm here to help, and have an abundance of resources to find what you're looking for. I WILL NOT do any making of parts or decals to go on your plane. This has to be YOUR work of art!!

Contest starts July 7th 2008. Deadline for entries to be received is 11:59pm August 7th 2008 Eastern Standard Time. Winners will be announced and contacted August 9th 2008.

Since you did such a swell job detailing yours up, why not post a few pictures so we can see the general idea.

You guys should back off just a tad on the documentation part, this isn't "Top Gun" or the NAT's.
Not to be a stick in the mud but your requirements don't mesh well with the T-28.
As a scale subject the pilot is much too large and the gear struts are bent the wrong direction so gear doors are impossible to install without bending replacements and the motor case is too small too.
No big deal I know but how many are willing to go the extra mile to keep the playing field even for the T-28?
This model does not qualify because of the documentation requirements.

You guys should back off just a tad on the documentation part, this isn't "Top Gun" or the NAT's.
Not to be a stick in the mud but your requirements don't mesh well with the T-28.
As a scale subject the pilot is much too large and the gear struts are bent the wrong direction so gear doors are impossible to install without bending replacements and the motor case is too small too.
No big deal I know but how many are willing to go the extra mile to keep the playing field even for the T-28?
This model does not qualify because of the documentation requirements.

Wow, I like those pilots ! how did you make them and modify the cockpit? that T-28 is really scale like, but it needs a three blade prop.

Thank you that just makes my point , it does need a three blade prop, the tail feathers could be thinner too. Again this is not Top Gun so why the documentation restrictions?

Forming plastic parts is the part of the hobby where I've settled in. Not having the ability to form parts for my designs was keeping me restricted to " easy" subjects. I've been at it for 8 years now and having fun with it.

I own BOTH a Parkzone P51 Mustang AND a T28. I think this contest is fantastic and sounds like a lot of FUN! Now, I am horrible at building....that is why I buy these parkzone planes. They look really good right out of the box, and I can just go fly. So, I won't be able to compete...But, I can't wait to see what you guys have been able to do to your planes! I hope all the entries are posted somewhere for all to see and enjoy. Maybe after the contest is over, a few of the guys can even share how the modifications were done, so someone like me might be able to learn how to do some of the easier stuff to our models.....

Anyway, I think this is really cool, and hope you guys have fun with it.

You guys should back off just a tad on the documentation part, this isn't "Top Gun" or the NAT's.
Not to be a stick in the mud but your requirements don't mesh well with the T-28.
As a scale subject the pilot is much too large and the gear struts are bent the wrong direction so gear doors are impossible to install without bending replacements and the motor case is too small too.
No big deal I know but how many are willing to go the extra mile to keep the playing field even for the T-28?
This model does not qualify because of the documentation requirements.

Sparks,
As I said, I'm the one judging this and I'm keeping all of that in mind. Don't forget, the Spitfire guys have to deal with their canopies looking inaccurate. I'm not going to "deduct points" as it were for that. The rules say, "keep the airframe stock", some those issues with the T-28.... don't worry about them. You may also notice in the rules I said, "I'm not concerned with landing gear as I'll be judging it's "flying form", since most of these planes do not come with landing gear. But you can make the gear look real if you would like."
So, in a nutshell... don't sweat it.

EVERYONE make sure you read the rules thoroughly please, to avoid confusion.

What I'm hoping here is that we all have some serious fun making these, and more importantly, maybe learn a little history in the process about those who flew combat in your choosen warbird. It's also a nice "thank you" to Park Zone's warbirds which I think are a blast to fly! Cheap, easy, thrilling..... like a good Saturday night date!!